Microbial contamination of surfaces in the agrifood industry

When micro-organisms adhere and colonize surfaces, they acquire new charact eristics, notably an increased resistance to disinfectants. The community t hey form is called a biofilm. The increased resistance to disinfectants dep ends on the material and on the disinfecting molecule, it increases as biof ilm ages. Furthermore. despite a continuous erosion occurs when biofilms ar e in contact with another surface (food or inert surface) or when a liquid now on them, the total detachment of micro-organisms is very difficult. eve n impossible, to obtain. Cleaning and disinfecting are not always sufficien t to limit biofilm formation to an acceptable level. therefore a judicious choice of materials and minimization of water input are also necessary.